Power supply for gate driver in switched-capacitor circuit

Abstract

An apparatus includes first and second pluralities of switches, a controller for controlling these switches, gate-drivers for driving switches from the first plurality of switches, and first and second terminals configured for coupling to corresponding first and second external circuits at corresponding first and second voltages. During operation, the controller causes the first plurality of switches to transition between states. These transitions result in the second voltage being maintained at a value that is a multiple of the first voltage. The controller also causes the second plurality of switches to transition between states. These transitions resulting in capacitors being coupled or decoupled from the second voltage. The gate drivers derive, from the capacitors, charge for causing a voltage that enables switches from the first plurality of switches to be driven.

Having described the invention and a preferred embodiment thereof, what is claimed as new and secured by Letters Patent is: 
     
       1. An integrated circuit for controlling a charge pump circuit, the charge pump circuit including a plurality of switches and a plurality of capacitors coupled to the plurality of switches along a charge transfer path between an input port and an output port of the charge pump circuit, the integrated circuit comprising:
 a controller comprising:
 one or more gate driver circuits to drive the plurality of switches; 
 one or more level shifter circuits coupled to the one or more gate driver circuits to shift a voltage level of an input signal before providing the input signal to the one or more gate driver circuits; 
 a voltage regulator to regulate power provided to the one or more gate driver circuits; and 
 a delay circuit coupled to the one or more gate driver circuits to delay the input signal before providing the input signal to the one or more gate driver circuits. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the controller further comprises:
 one or more switching elements respectively coupled to the one or more gate driver circuits, wherein any of the one or more switching elements is controlled by a corresponding bias voltage to provide a supply voltage to a corresponding gate driver circuit, the supply voltage being a first value or a second value in response to the corresponding bias voltage. 
 
     
     
       3. The integrated circuit of  claim 2 , wherein a first terminal of the switching element is to receive a first voltage, and a second terminal of the switching element is coupled to the corresponding gate driver circuit. 
     
     
       4. The integrated circuit of  claim 3 , wherein the supply voltage is equal to the first voltage, in the condition that the switching element operates in a first state in response to the corresponding bias voltage. 
     
     
       5. The integrated circuit of  claim 4 , wherein the supply voltage is lower than the first voltage, in the condition that the switching element operates in a second state in response to the corresponding bias voltage. 
     
     
       6. The integrated circuit of  claim 3 , wherein the first terminal of the switching element is coupled to a corresponding capacitor to receive the first voltage. 
     
     
       7. The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein during operation, the controller causes the plurality of switches to switch between successive states to interconnect the plurality of capacitors to the input port and the output port of the charge pump circuit. 
     
     
       8. The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more gate driver circuits receive a time-varying voltage from the charge pump circuit. 
     
     
       9. The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein any of the one or more gate driver circuits includes transistors forming a plurality of inverters coupled in series, and each subsequent inverter is larger than a previous inverter. 
     
     
       10. The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the controller generates one or more driving signals to drive the plurality of switches based, at least in part, on one or more timing signals. 
     
     
       11. The integrated circuit of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more driving signals are used to provide a voltage at an output port of the charge pump circuit, to change a gain of the charge pump circuit, to shut off the charge pump circuit in response to a fault condition, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
       12. An integrated circuit for operating a charge pump circuit having a plurality of pump capacitors along one or more charge transfer paths, the integrated circuit comprising:
 a plurality of terminals respectively coupled to the plurality of pump capacitors; 
 a plurality of power switches coupled to the plurality of pump capacitors via the plurality of terminals and forming a charge transfer path between an input port and an output port of the charge pump circuit; and 
 a controller, comprising:
 one or more gate driver circuits including transistors forming a tapered inverter chain to drive the plurality of switches, wherein each gate driver circuit receives a first driver signal or a second driver signal, the first driver signal and the second driver signal being non-overlapping; 
 a level shifter circuit to shift a voltage level of an input signal before providing the input signal to the one or more gate driver circuits; and 
 one or more switching elements respectively coupled to the one or more gate driver circuits, wherein any of the one or more switching elements is controlled by a corresponding bias voltage to provide a supply voltage to a corresponding gate driver circuit, the supply voltage being a first value or a second value in response to the corresponding bias voltage. 
 
 
     
     
       13. The integrated circuit of  claim 12 , wherein the first driver signal and the second driver signal are respectively synchronized with a first phase voltage and a second phase voltage of the charge pump circuit, the first phase voltage and the second phase voltage are out of phase. 
     
     
       14. The integrated circuit of  claim 12 , wherein the controller further comprises: a control circuit to generate the driver signal and the bias voltage. 
     
     
       15. The integrated circuit of  claim 12 , wherein a first terminal of the switching element is to receive a first voltage, and a second terminal of the switching element is coupled to the corresponding gate driver circuit. 
     
     
       16. The integrated circuit of  claim 15 , wherein the supply voltage is equal to the first voltage, in the condition that the switching element operates in a first state in response to the corresponding bias voltage. 
     
     
       17. The integrated circuit of  claim 16 , wherein the supply voltage is lower than the first voltage, in the condition that the switching element operates in a second state in response to the corresponding bias voltage. 
     
     
       18. The integrated circuit of  claim 17 , wherein the first terminal of the switching element is coupled to a corresponding capacitor to receive the first voltage. 
     
     
       19. The integrated circuit of  claim 15 , wherein the supply voltage is lower than the first voltage. 
     
     
       20. The integrated circuit of  claim 12 , wherein during operation, the controller causes the plurality of switches to switch between successive states to interconnect the plurality of pump capacitors to the input port and the output port of the charge pump circuit. 
     
     
       21. The integrated circuit of  claim 12 , further composing:
 a clock to generate one or more timing signals; 
 wherein the controller generates one or more signals to drive the plurality of switches based, at least in part, on the one or more timing signals. 
 
     
     
       22. The integrated circuit of  claim 21 , wherein the controller is to regulate a voltage at the output port of the charge pump circuit, to change a gain of the charge pump circuit, to shut off the charge pump circuit in response to a fault condition, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
       23. An apparatus, comprising:
 one or more gate driver circuits to drive a plurality of switches of a charge pump circuit; 
 one or more level shifter circuits coupled to the one or more gate driver circuits to shift a voltage level of an input signal before providing the input signal to the one or more gate driver circuits; and 
 one or more switching elements respectively coupled to the one or more gate driver circuits, wherein any of the one or more switching elements is to provide a supply voltage to a corresponding gate driver circuit, the supply voltage switching between different values in response to a state of the charge pump circuit. 
 
     
     
       24. The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein a first terminal of the switching element is coupled to a corresponding capacitor of the charge pump circuit to receive a first voltage stored by the corresponding capacitor. 
     
     
       25. The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein in the condition that the switching element is ON in response to a corresponding bias voltage, the supply voltage is equal to the first voltage. 
     
     
       26. The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein in the condition that the switching element is OFF in response to a corresponding bias voltage, the supply voltage is lower than the first voltage. 
     
     
       27. The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the switching element comprises a transistor, wherein a voltage drop across a drain terminal and a source terminal of the transistor exists, in the condition that the switching element is OFF. 
     
     
       28. The apparatus of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 a control circuit to generate one or more bias voltages to control the one or more switching elements. 
 
     
     
       29. The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein each gate driver circuit receives a first driver signal or a second driver signal, the first driver signal and the second driver signal being non-overlapping. 
     
     
       30. The apparatus of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 a clock to generate one or more timing signals, wherein the one or more gate driver circuits drive the plurality of switches based, at least in part, on the one or more timing signals. 
 
     
     
       31. The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more gate driver circuits drive the plurality of switches to regulate a voltage at the output port of the charge pump circuit, to change a gain of the charge pump circuit, to shut off the charge pump circuit in response to a fault condition, or any combination thereof.